Post: #1

A Turkish friend here in Samui was telling me a lot of guys are making apps for the local area, like restaurants guides or bar guides, etc, and then charging businesses a monthly fee for a listing. So only the restaurants who pay for the advertising are listed.

Sounds like some of them are doing pretty good with it.

I'm pretty in the dark on anything app-related, as I've yet to even break down and get a smartphone, but with my experience in IM I do realize how these types of biz models work. Just curious if anyone on here is doing this type of thing? Or anything else remotely related?

EDIT: Shit, wrong subforum. Sorry mods. Please move if you see this.

Beyond All Seas

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling

Post: #2

check out appempire.com

His best students have come out of the camera/photo niche with the simple formula of looking at whats popular already and making it better.

I think the biggest opportunities in apps will come with "localising" apps into foreign markets like China.

For instance buying source code for games apps and then changing and adding graphics, music, and the language to make the app more appealing to Chinese users.

Very cheap way to get started with big potential

if you want a copy of the appempire course pm me

Post: #3

(06-06-2013 03:06 PM)gsinplaya Wrote:  check out appempire.com

His best students have come out of the camera/photo niche with the simple formula of looking at whats popular already and making it better.

I think the biggest opportunities in apps will come with "localising" apps into foreign markets like China.

For instance buying source code for games apps and then changing and adding graphics, music, and the language to make the app more appealing to Chinese users.

Very cheap way to get started with big potential

if you want a copy of the appempire course pm me

Thanks, Man - I really do appreciate that, but I better hold off unless I decide to pursue something along these lines. Don't like to scatter myself with a ton of info unless I'm ready to move forward with something.

Will definitely get in touch with you if I do want to explore it further. What's the learning curve like on fiddling with the code?

Beyond All Seas

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling

Post: #4

I tried, but all payments to my country were withheld. I closed that possibility ever since.

Post: #5

I have a little marketing strategy I want to test out regarding paid apps.

I'm just waiting for the right app idea or the right app going up for sale, then I will test it out once I have enough time.

Post: #6

(06-06-2013 03:56 PM)Volk Wrote:  I tried, but all payments to my country were withheld. I closed that possibility ever since.

I recommend setting up an international business corporation (IBC) in an offshore haven country such as Gibraltar, Cyprus, Singapore, even Panama. Have the company/agency who set it up also set up a bank account(s) and a merchant account in that country.

Post: #7

(06-06-2013 01:56 PM)Beyond Borders Wrote:  A Turkish friend here in Samui was telling me a lot of guys are making apps for the local area, like restaurants guides or bar guides, etc, and then charging businesses a monthly fee for a listing. So only the restaurants who pay for the advertising are listed.

Sounds like some of them are doing pretty good with it.

I'm pretty in the dark on anything app-related, as I've yet to even break down and get a smartphone, but with my experience in IM I do realize how these types of biz models work. Just curious if anyone on here is doing this type of thing? Or anything else remotely related?

EDIT: Shit, wrong subforum. Sorry mods. Please move if you see this.

My firm sold mobile apps for a while, but it became a PITA and there's a ton of people in our market willing to do the work for damn-near free.

Unless you've really got it nailed down, avoid doing any custom work.

A Better Business Model

Find high-profile restaurants, bars, golf courses, etc. Figure out if they have an app (many of them still don't).

Make them an app, setup an appointment with someone capable of making decisions, and sell the app. Chances are, you'll flop on the first few (it's a learning process), but it's not that hard to sell them something that's already made.

Charge them an initial sum (500-2K), plus some kind of monthly fee. Make sure you detail what this fee "includes."

Do not be afraid to ask for 1-2K. They can afford it. If they complain about price, do not negotiate, unless they're willing to sign a 1 year agreement. Dropping your prices makes devalues your service and makes you look like a chump.

Use a simple app creator that ensures the apps function on all platforms.

We used http://www.apps-builder.com It's legit

There's a backend (at least there used to be) where clients can log in and update their app all by themselves. You'll have to train them to use this. You don't want to be making updates and handling push notifications for them.

http://www.biznessapps.com/ is also an option, but I can't report on how solid they are.

Once you get rolling with 4 per month, you should be able to be pocketing some okay cash and you'll be building a monthly revenue stream. It has potential to be lucrative, but requires some hustle and a bit of pounding the pavement.

Post: #8

I didn't want to start a new thread on this subject, so I'm bumping this one.

I'm looking to create an app and pitch it to the federal government in my country (this idea has worldwide applications however).

I assume that the first step is to make sure my idea is secure/safeguarded through the appropriate channels in terms of copyright, trademark, intellectual property etc. prior to engaging a company to build the app for me, so that the idea isn't stolen.

If anyone has experience in building unique apps (and pitching the idea), I'd welcome your input.

Unfortunately, for obvious reasons, I can't go into the nature of the app.

Post: #9

(11-11-2014 05:29 AM)Windom Earle Wrote:  I didn't want to start a new thread on this subject, so I'm bumping this one.

I'm looking to create an app and pitch it to the federal government in my country (this idea has worldwide applications however).

I assume that the first step is to make sure my idea is secure/safeguarded through the appropriate channels in terms of copyright, trademark, intellectual property etc. prior to engaging a company to build the app for me, so that the idea isn't stolen.

If anyone has experience in building unique apps (and pitching the idea), I'd welcome your input.

Unfortunately, for obvious reasons, I can't go into the nature of the app.

I don't know about the federal government in AUS but let me tell you about 'pitching' anything to the federal, state or provincial governments of the USA or Canada.

You can't. You have to 'pitch' the idea to the head of a department, and the head of IT, who then has to pitch it to the purchasing department. Most of these places have so many rules about IT products, that they only develop them in-house.